Hair gloss (or the lack of it) is one of the hair concerns that aren’t talked about enough. Heaven knows how many remedies we have tried to get that level of gloss we only see either in red carpets or on instagram; all in vain. One of the reasons hair gloss is difficult to attain is that everything (literally) sets your hair off. Be it hot showers, heat-styling, color-fading, or sun exposure, everything results in hair damage, and thus, lack of shine. Hence, until these bad habits break, there’s no way you can get a shiny, glossy mane. So keep on reading if using “#glossyhair” in your upcoming instagram post is your ultimate goal!
What is Glossy Hair?
Always starting with the basics: how do shiny, glossy hair happen? In the composition of hair, the outermost layer is made of hair cuticles. These cuticles lay down like the scale of fish and help protect hair health by keeping the moisture locked in. While the hair cuticles lay flat, this gives the hair a smooth, soft feel with reflecting shine.
Now comes the scenario when there is trouble in paradise. As the hair is exposed to potentially harmful factors, these cuticles bear the harshness and open wide, allowing the moisture to escape from hair. This diffuses the light and the hair appears dull and lifeless with no hint of shine, luster, or moisture.
Hair gloss is more easily found in low-porosity/medium-porosity hair since their cuticles lay flat and smooth. High-porosity hair, on the contrary, has raised cuticles and is often troubled with a lusterless, dull mane.
Top Stylist-Approved Tips For Glossy Hair
Now comes the tricky question: how do you get glossy, shiny hair? We asked one of our hair experts to chime in on a few tips & tricks that could help with hair gloss, and they spilled quite a few beans:
Avoid Hot Showers
We know the temptation of a hot, warm shower, but think of the detrimental effects it can have on your hair. Washing your hair with hot water can raise the cuticles which will result in dry, brittle, and coarse hair. One of the best tactics is to rinse your hair with cold water before stepping out of the shower. This will seal the hair cuticles along with the moisture, and hair will look healthy, hydrated and shiny.
Stay Down On Heat-Styling
Applying 450F of heat on your bare, fragile, unprotected hair is one of the worst things you can do to your hair. Heat-styling destroys your hair cuticles and dries up every last drop of moisture from it, leaving it dry and fried like straw. Hence, to ensure safe, healthy heat-styling that promotes shine, use ThermalStyleHer Cream before blow-drying/flat-ironing. This cream has a strong nourishing, protective formula that offers heat protection up to 450F while keeping the hair aptly nourished.
Invest In A Silk Pillowcase
Silk is known to have healthy, healing properties for hair and skin, and promotes luster and shine. Replacing your old pillowcase with silk reduces hair friction, breakage, frizz and hair tangles. It also retains hair moisture and oils and promotes natural shine and body. A silk pillowcase also has many benefits for your skin as it prevents acne and keeps your skin smooth and healthy. All in all, investing in a silk pillowcase might actually turn out to be beneficial for you.
Treat Your Hair Weekly
Hair moisture plays an important role in promoting luster and shine. Thus, make sure to treat your hair weekly with a deep hydrating mask. GK Hair Deep Conditioner Treatment is fully packed with good-for-your-hair ingredients such as Juvexin, jojoba oil and natural seed oils which deeply nourish your hair from the inside out and retain the natural moisture and luster of your hair.
Spritz On Some Shine
If retaining shine is an issue for you, using shine sprays to top off your hairstyles can be very convenient. GK Hair Dry Oil Shine Spray is a super-quick, effective formula that instantly smooths your hair and adds a natural luster and bounce to it. Awarded by Allure among the best of hair care and hair styling, Dry Oil Shine Spray is an ideal hair care staple for dull, lifeless hair.
Do A Hard Pass On Sulfates
Sulfates, parabens and other harsh chemicals are commonly found in our hair care products and can really mess with your hair health. Therefore, make sure to use sulfate-free products that go gentle on your hair and help in retaining hair moisture, not stripping it away. GK Hair takes pride in claiming itself as a sulfate-free, paraben-free brand that seeks to revitalize your hair and maintains its natural youthfulness.
Wash Away Product Buildup
Using hair care products consistently can pile up product residue on your hair which could lead to lumpy, dull hair. Hence, sweep in a clarifying shampoo every now and then into your hair wash routine for a clean, healthy mane. GK Hair pH+ Shampoo is perfectly designed to deal with product buildup without ripping your hair off of natural oils. But make sure to use clarifying shampoo no more than once a week to preserve natural hair oils.
Work On Your Diet
A major portion of your hair health depends on what you eat; hence, it’s important to discipline your diet. Add more proteins and vitamins, throw in green veggies, fruits, eggs, fish, meat, dairy, lentils, and cut down on deep fried, oily foods and snacks. All of these help to strengthen your hair from within, giving it a fuller, more lustrous look on the outside. Also, drink as much water as you can.
Get A Keratin Treatment
For super unruly, frizzy hair that holds no shine whatsoever, a keratin treatment is an optimal solution. We recommend The Best Coco Vegan Smoothing Treatment due to its plant-based formulation that holds no harsh chemicals. This vegan formula is infused with Juvexin, which ideally regenerates hair bonds and brings back luster and shine to hair.
And that’s it for glossy hair. Follow these tips & tricks and let your hair shine the brightest!